BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, August 2024 (Ep.322)
Cody and Jonathan discuss summer skiing; the new FIS wildcard rule; some good news & dumb news re: national parks; art exhibits at ski areas; their top-3 mountain towns; & more.
‘Rad’ with Eddie Fiola, Jen Zeuner, & Simon Stewart (Ep.21)
There’s no denying that the film Rad is a cult classic, and we sat down with one of the stunt riders, BMX freestyle legend Eddie Fiola, as well as BMX Hall of Famer Jen Zeuner, to get the backstory on how Eddie got involved, how he got knocked out, the terrifying Helltrack drop-in, wearing Lori Loughlin’s pants, plus a whole lot more.
Shimano GRX Di2 2 x 12-Speed Drivetrain
Shimano’s GRX RX825 group brings Di2 technology to a 2 x 12 Gravel layout. After logging plenty of miles on the new setup, we think RX825 will have a lot of appeal to a broad set of riders. Our Full Review has all of the details.
2024-2025 Northland AM178
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Northland AM178.
Venture Snowboards — and New Venture Skis — w/ Klem Branner (Ep.311)
Venture Snowboards just announced that they will also be making Venture skis. So Jonathan talked with Klem Branner about why skis & why skis now; what’s harder or easier about making skis vs snowboards; and what, exactly, is this new ski of theirs, the Sultan?
Win MTB Shoes From Ride Concepts
The TWO winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get the new Tallac Mid BOA® MTB Shoe from Ride Concepts!
Pivot Shuttle SL
The Pivot Shuttle SL was one of the first light-assist eMTBs. But even after many other brands have added their takes on this hotly contested category, the Shuttle SL remains an excellent option for many reasons.
Deep Dive: Pivot Shuttle SL
We compare the Pivot Shuttle SL to the Trek Fuel EXe, Norco Fluid VLT 130, Santa Cruz Heckler SL, Canyon Neuron:ONfly, and Cannondale Moterra SL.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Reviewer Reports: Battle of Unconventional Air Shocks, High-Pivot Trail Bikes, & More (Ep.237)
We check in on a selection of the gear we’ve been testing of late, from the Forbidden Druid V2 to the Trek Slash+, plus a bunch more bikes, some air shocks from smaller brands — and a discussion of bike geometry that might surprise you.
2024-2025 Black Crows Anima Birdie
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Black Crows Anima Birdie.
Stuff We Like: August 2024
This month’s edition of our Stuff We Like series includes everything from nifty bike tools to summer clothing essentials, running vests, bike components, and more. Check it out to see all the latest gear our reviewers have been enjoying this summer.
Chef Mark Connell on Skiing & High-End Cuisine, Part 1 (Ep.48)
We talk to Mark Connell, the executive chef at PARC Aspen, about his life in skiing and high-end dining; how Jonathan & Mark first met; celebrity chefs, frozen pizza, white wine, & more.
EXT Storia V4
EXT has been making a lot of very impressive suspension products for a good while now, so is the latest V4 iteration of their Storia coil shock a worthy successor to the already very good V3? Check out our Full Review for our take.
Flash Review — Manitou Mara Pro PB
We’ve started spending time on the recently updated Manitou Mara Pro PB — and our initial impressions are promising. Learn more in our Flash Review.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2024-2025 K2 Mindbender 96C
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the K2 Mindbender 96C.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
2024-2025 HEAD Supershape e-Rally
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the updated HEAD Supershape e-Rally.
Flash Review: 24/25 Head Supershape e-Rally
We’ve been spending time on the new Head Supershape e-Rally, and directly comparing it to the outgoing version. Check out our initial thoughts.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
To get our comprehensive Deep Dives and our initial, unfiltered reports on new gear, become a member and receive many other services, deals, and discounts.
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Reviewing the News w/ Mike Ferrentino, November 2024 (Ep.251)
Simon welcomes Mike Ferrentino back into the studio and they discuss the seemingly limitless discounts across the bike industry; the history of bike multitools; bike theft and how to protect your bikes; old trucks; and a whole lot more.
2024-2025 Dynastar M-Pro 94 Ti
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Dynastar M-Pro 94 Ti.
Viking Ski Shop
Viking has been a stronghold and a big part of the outdoor community in the Chicago area and beyond for over 50 years. While the industry has changed and evolved, Viking’s dedication to offering the best products, services, and prices in the greater Chicago area has remained the same.
Flash Review: 24/25 Volkl Peregrine 80 & Peregrine 82
Update 12.4.24: Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth have both spent time A/B testing these new piste skis from Volkl, and now, Jonathan adds his own take on how they compare.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
To get our comprehensive Deep Dives and our initial, unfiltered reports on new gear, become a member and receive many other services, deals, and discounts.
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2024-2025 Black Diamond Helio Carbon 115
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Black Diamond Helio Carbon 115.
Commencal Meta Power SX 400
Commencal’s new Meta Power SX 400 puts the lightweight Bosch SX drive unit in a long-travel Enduro eMTB with a burly build, an aluminum frame, and a compelling price point. Here are all the details.
2024-2025 Black Crows Octo
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the new Black Crows Octo.
‘Surviving Our Story’ w/ Connor Ryan, Ryan McClure, & Isaiah Branch-Boyle (Ep.30)
Jonathan talks with Connor Ryan, Ryan McClure, and Isaiah Branch-Boyle about their powerful new film, Surviving Our Story. It should be required viewing for anyone who backcountry skis, splitboards, snowmobiles — or does any form of backcountry travel on snow.
2024-2025 Armada Reliance 92 Ti
Here are our measured specs, flex pattern numbers, and rocker profile pictures for the new Armada Reliance 92 Ti.
Flash Review — Vorsprung Telum
It’s always noteworthy whenever a brand ventures into a new product category, but that’s just the start of the story with Vorsprung’s first shock, the Telum. We’ve begun testing it, and you can now check out our early impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
To get our comprehensive Deep Dives and our initial, unfiltered reports on new gear, become a member and receive many other services, deals, and discounts.
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